The claw disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,058,880 collects milk from the teatcups via the short milk conduits. The collected milk is continuously transported from the claw to a suitable milk storage via the long milk conduit. The known claw is a top flow claw having a suction tube connecting the inner space of the claw with the outlet nipple for the discharge of the milk through the long milk conduit from the claw. This means that the milk to be transported has to be lifted from the bottom of the inner space of the claw to the outlet nipple. Such top flow claws are also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,006,695 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,211.
Another problem to be considered is the ergonomic design of the claw. A claw having a large thickness may be difficult to grip and hold during the attachment of the teatcups to the teats of the animal to be milked. It is important that the operator may grip the claw and hold it firmly in a convenient manner during said attachment.
A still further problem to be considered is the visibility and the possibility for the operator to observe the milk flow through the claw.